


A New Love Story

by AriaDream



Category: Fate/stay night & Related Fandoms
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-02
Updated: 2018-12-02
Packaged: 2019-09-05 20:32:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16817947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AriaDream/pseuds/AriaDream
Summary: AU fic. Sigurd is a battle captive, until he meets Brynhildr and things take a very interesting turn... but will it end happily or will tragedy ensue? Only time can tell. Sigurd/Brynhildr





	A New Love Story

Brynhildr walked with her brothers and gazed curiously around the market.

_What marvelous things!_ This was no ordinary market. Instead of the usual wagonloads of food and tribute, boring things like grain and salted fish, merchants from all over the world had come. That was due to the great conclave that happened only once every ten years. It was a serious matter, where serious things were discussed, but to the merchants it was an opportunity to show their finest wares to the noblest of buyers, from all the realms. And that let Brynhildr see truly marvelous things. Not just the fine goods on display, the jewels and silks and gorgeously fashioned items. It was also the people. When else would she see a dark elven noble bargaining with a human merchant over some very fine amber? Or a dwarf engaged in a spirited discussion about the merits of his spears with a pair of Valkyrie’s while his children ran a little stand selling frozen treats?

“Ayi, Bryn, keep up!” Oh! Brynhildr hurried to catch up as Loki called to her, rather regretting the gorgeous dress she was wearing. Yes, it was lovely and her brothers had both approved but the skirt was so full and heavy. The swirling movement of it might be beautiful, but it also hampered her movements.

“Oh, where are we going?” Brynhildr belatedly asked, realizing they seemed to have a destination in mind. She’d thought Thor and Loki just wanted to go shopping although men didn’t usually do that… still, the conclave was rather an exception.

“The slave pens!” Ah, that did make sense. There would be no deals there – the merchants knew the value of their wares – but there would be incredible slaves of all races and demi-races available. Brynhildr felt a thrill at the thought. She might even see a few kinds of people she’d never seen in her life! “Come, it’s this way.” Hmm, hopefully she wouldn’t soil her dress. Well, it couldn’t be helped.

The slave pens, though, were not particularly filthy. They threaded through the crowd until they found the cages, the collars and the shackles used for living merchandise. Brynhildr thought nothing of it. Slavery was the way of things, was all.

“Quite an interesting crop of demi-humans this time. What do you think of this one, Thor?” Loki asked as they paused on a fascinating slave. Brynhildr was interested in the woman’s ears… they were great foxy like things with white fur on the insides and black outside. Would that fur be as soft as it looked?

“I think we all know why you’re interested, Loki,” Thor’s voice was like deep thunder and Brynhildr blinked, noticing the rest of the woman. Ah, she was short but buxom and the slave trader had dressed her in clothing that just barely maintained decency. It was not enough for a brisk autumn day and as Brynhildr watched, the poor woman shivered. “But if you want her, buy her. We’re always in need of more slaves.” That was true, although for a rather irritating reason. Due to ancient edicts and spells that were part of the land itself, mortals could not breed in Asgard. Being a slave could be a hard life and even when it wasn’t, to the Asgardians, mortals had the lifespan of gnats. They always needed more slaves.

“Mah, I’m not sure… let’s see what else there is.” Yes, of course. Brynhildr wasn’t too interested but trailed after dutifully as her brother’s compared various women’s charms. Then a flash of blue and silver caught her eye.

“…?” Leaving her brothers behind, Brynhildr drifted towards what she had seen. Her breath caught in her throat as she saw it was a man, yet like none she’d ever seen before. He had pale skin and a noble visage, handsome as any Asgardian or Elven lord. His hair was unusual… pale silver at the edges but with what seemed to be a crest of darker hair in the centre. Strange, but it fitted with the great wings that spread behind him. Dark blue but dappled with tiny bolts of silver, they were gorgeous. And the scales of his wings were matched with little scales on the upper part of his ears, dark ridges that swept back into his hair. Brynhildr set a hand on the bars of the cage as the man opened his eyes.

_Such a clear shade of green. They are just like my own,_ Brynhildr thought, feeling flensed as she met that unflinching gaze. There was intelligence there, a regard that was acute yet not unkind. She stood still, unable to look away from that gaze that seemed to see her very soul –

“Bryn!” Ah! Brynhildr jumped as a hand hit her on the shoulder. “Oh ho, what have we here? A draconid?”

“Oh, is that what he is?” Brynhildr said, turning away from that penetrating gaze to see Thor and Loki both looking at the man with interest. “I’ve never seen anything like him before.” They had never had a slave like this in Asgard that she knew of.

“That’s because they’re very rare, they only live in the far North. They’re mortals who managed to mix their blood with dragons,” Loki said and Brynhildr blinked, wondering how that could be done. “Deliberately creating a partly immortal race. Impressive really! But this must be a terribly unmannerly slave.” Huh? Brynhildr looked back and saw what she had missed… the man’s arms were shackled over his head, attached to the ceiling of the cage with chains and his legs were spread uncomfortably, also shackled and chained.

“I am not a slave. I am a battle captive and if you dare to purchase me, I solemnly swear that I shall escape to return to my land,” the man said and his voice had an odd accent, beautiful and melodious. And Brynhildr was struck by the iron will she sensed, the incomparable resolve the man carried. There was a taken-aback silence from both her brothers. As they stood there, a pudgy human hurried up.

“My lords, my lady! This slave is still untamed,” he said with an obsequious bow. Loki shook his head in amazement.

“Untamed scarcely covers this. Untameable might be better,” Loki said and Brynhildr bit her lower lip, feeling a sudden swell of sadness. She wanted this man but if Loki said he couldn’t be tamed, he was surely correct. Such slaves did exist, men and women who would accept death before the slave chain. The slave trader looked very unhappy.

“He’s so beautiful and exotic! Surely he’s worth a chance, my lord?” The man wheedled and Brynhildr could see his angle. Someone would surely try, with the prospect of something so exotic in front of them.

“Well, maybe… what’s the asking price?” What? Brynhildr quickly glanced at Thor and saw he was as surprised as she was. The human merchant named a price that was quite high and Loki reacted with studied outrage. “What! Are you out of your mind? Do you think I haven’t noticed what you’ve done with his tail?” Wait, what? Brynhildr looked again and spotted what Loki’s sharp eyes had already noted… the poor man had a long, draconic tail that had been _pierced_ and a chain run through the hole. The merchant looked mildly harassed.

“My lord, that thing is a lethal weapon. We had no choice!” Oh really? It did taper to a whip-like tip and Brynhildr had no problem imagining it lashing around with deadly speed and force.

“Well, the wound is still starting to go rotten. He’ll need care for that…” Loki was soon immersed in the bargaining and Brynhildr looked back at the man. He said nothing, just looking at them with a mildly puzzled air and Brynhildr met his gaze again. There was no anger there, none of the hostility she had seen from difficult slaves. Just a calm resolve as deep as the very ocean. What was Loki planning?

Brynhildr found out as soon as the sale was finalized. Loki immediately began issuing orders.

“Open that cell and get a blindfold.” Blindfold? Loki pulled something out of a pocket and Brynhildr tried to get a look, but couldn’t see. The humans immediately obeyed and Loki was the one to tie the blindfold in place. The man had no way to fight except to bite, and he seemed to consider that beneath his dignity, accepting the blindfolding stoically. “Now…” Loki placed something on the man’s forehead and he recoiled as if he’d been branded. Brynhildr watched as his pale face went white as a ghost and her breath caught in her throat as she saw his struggle not to scream. A blue gemstone was embedded in his forehead and as she watched, a trickle of blood ran down from it, into the blindfold.

“Loki, what in hell is that?” Thor asked as Brynhild put a hand over her mouth, watching as the man shook in agony. Loki cheerfully explained, completely unaffected by the pain of the slave.

“A binding of absolute obedience. I was saving it in case I happened to find a slave I really wanted, but I think it’s even better as a gift to our sister!” Oh, how thoughtful of him! “And it’s better this way anyway. The gem will last as long as he lives, but it will break when he dies. I’ve always been reluctant to use it on something short-lived but this draconid will be around for quite a while.”

“Thank you so much Loki,” Brynhildr said gratefully as the man slumped a bit in his chains, breathing heavily. But the pain seemed to have passed, his face smoothing. Loki laughed but then suddenly took a serious tone.

“He’ll imprint on the first person he sees after the blindfold is removed. Bryn, would you do the honors?” Ah, of course. Feeling light inside, Brynhildr entered the cell and reached out to undo the blindfold. The black cloth fell away and the man lifted his head, blinking woozily before green eyes focused on her. The expression on his face was arrested and the way he gazed at her… it was like he’d suddenly found the centre of his world. Brynhildr couldn’t help the shiver she felt at it. “What do you have to say now, slave?” Loki asked sardonically.

“I am not a slave,” he said again and Brynhildr blinked but his next words… “I am a knight to my lady, to whom I owe my absolute loyalty. I shall serve you and follow you for as long as I live.” The draconid bowed his head as Brynhildr’s breath caught in her throat. “Use me as you see fit.”

“Oh…” Brynhildr’s breath escaped in a small gasp. This was… was incredible! There was a brief, stunned silence from her brother’s before Thor laughed.

“Ah, that didn’t quite work out the way you planned, eh Loki? But this might be even better. Our little sister has her first devoted follower!” A personal armsman? For her? Brynhildr was enchanted by the thought. “Unchain the man and get him a sword!”

“Thor… eh, whatever,” Loki said and Brynhildr could guess what he’d been about to say. Slaves were normally never armed but one under a mystical compulsion would be safe enough. “And let’s get a healer for that tail. I really don’t like the look of it.” Oh, yes, the wound really did look poorly. And getting the chain out of it… Brynhildr winced at the thought. How painful would that be? Fortunately Thor saw the issue and instead of letting them thread the whole thing through, he smashed one end of the chains and quickly yanked it out. The draconid gasped but that was all and Brynhildr suddenly realized.

“I’m sorry. What is your name?” She asked and the man blinked before giving her a small but heartfelt smile.

“Sigurd Sigmundsson. What is yours?”

“Brynhildr Odinsdotter,” Brynhildr said softly, meeting those beautiful green eyes again. How were they a shade that so perfectly matched her own? Then the man’s arms and legs were being freed and a healer arrived to tend to his tail. Brynhildr hovered over her new armsman as his wound was seen to.

She’d just acquired him, she didn’t want to lose Sigurd to an infection.


End file.
